The Chicago Bears will host the New England Patriots at Soldier Field on Sunday, and they’ll again be searching for success on the offensive side of the ball. That starts with their rookie quarterback and his receivers, a group that was invested heavily in but hasn’t produced much this season.
1st & 10: Empty Investments
Chicago invested heavily in overhauling its wide receiver room during the offseason. GM Ryan Poles invested the ninth overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft, a fourth-rounder, and a whopping four-year, $110 million extension in Rome Odunze, Keenan Allen, and DJ Moore. Poles’ heavy investment was aimed at helping expedite the development of rookie quarterback Caleb Williams.
Williams entered the season with arguably one of the best wide receiver trios in the league, and that’s not even considering Cole Kmet, who also was extended thanks to his pass-catching prowess during his time in Chicago. That was supposed to help this offense compete from day one. Thus far, Poles’ investments aren’t paying off.
Last season, the combination of DJ Moore, Darnell Mooney, Tyler Scott, Chase Claypool, Velus Jones Jr., and Equanimeous St. Brown caught 75 passes for 1,059 yards and seven touchdowns through the team’s first eight games. That was with Justin Fields and Tyson Bagent under center and Luke Getsy calling plays.
Through eight games, the revamped wide receiver room, the top pick in the draft, and a new play-caller have produced 91 catches for 1,029 yards and six touchdowns between Moore, Odunze, Allen, and DeAndre Carter.
Yikes.
You can point to Shane Waldron’s often odd personnel usage, disjointed play-calling, and inability to understand the type of routes each receiver thrives in.
You can point to Caleb Williams’ inconsistency as a rookie quarterback.
You can even blame the receivers for not being on the same page with Williams two months into the season in an offense in which the receivers have to see defensive looks the way the quarterback does.
Regardless of who’s to blame, this is a significant problem. Too many assets are invested in this group for it to struggle to find its stride this deep into the season. For my money, it starts with Shane Waldron using his receivers better. As Chris Emma from 670 The Score pointed out this week, this isn’t the first time Waldron has had this issue.
“Making sure we’re choosing the best routes for the guys. We have unique talents, and we’ve got to make sure we’re maximizing that. I feel like we’re not. I feel like we’re not seeing stuff.”
Those were the words of former Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll last season. Waldron’s lack of knowledge of how to maximize his talent isn’t new. Is it something he can change? Time will tell, but that’s where it starts.
Beyond that, Williams and his receivers must get on the same page. The rookie quarterback candidly spoke about his and DJ Moore’s frustration over their lack of connection this week. Neither of them is going anywhere, so they have to get on the same page. Until that happens, this unit won’t be successful consistently.
The Red Zone: Accuracy Issues
Caleb Williams’ deep ball continues to be a problem. In college, accuracy was his calling card. It helped him become a Heisman winner and the top pick in April’s draft. Through his first eight games, it’s been as absent as Cole Kmet’s involvement in the offense recently. Williams has thrown four interceptions on deep passes (20+ air yards) this season, tied for the most in the league with Will Levis. Williams has also logged a -14. percent completion percentage over expected on such passes, ranking second-worst in the league.
For a while, I was convinced that his deep ball accuracy would catch up (and I still am) and that it wasn’t a significant issue for the Bears in the present. However, as The Athletic’s Kevin Fishbain pointed out, He’s 6-for-29 on deep balls in losses. He also has completed 57.1 percent of passes in the Bears’ four losses, a 10 percent drop from his accuracy in wins.
Williams acknowledged his struggles with his accuracy on Wednesday:
“And I still pride myself on that, and so not being accurate, not being on time with things is frustrating because, like you said, it’s kind of been my thing,” he said. “Something I’ve been at least pretty solid at. And right now, I’m not as solid as I’ve been, not as solid as I pride myself on. … I’m going to get there. But I think it starts with me.”
Bears Quote of the Week
“Obviously, it’s not in a place — from the past games — where we would like it,” Williams said. “Both of us, it’s frustrating because you’ve got a guy that’s so special, and not being able to connect and hit on certain passes is frustrating for myself. And I know it’s frustrating for him … — Caleb Williams on his lack of connection with DJ Moore this season.
Caleb Williams and DJ Moore must get on the same page if the Bears’ offense is going to find consistent success. Neither of them is going anywhere, so they better figure it out sooner rather than later.
Bears Stat of the Week
Caleb Williams has a 67.2 percent completion percentage in home games this season (10 points higher than on the road) and has thrown for 780 yards, seven touchdowns, and one interception. For whatever reason, Williams has thrived at Soldier Field. He’s 3-0 there, and he could use some of that home cooking this weekend against New England.
